Firefighters' main objections
Firefighters' representatives have raised the following objections:
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The proposed emergency response standard is amongst the slowest in the UK.
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Although the number of incidents is higher during the day, most are false alarms.
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The more serious incidents occur at night; 70% of fire deaths are at night.
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Two fire engines need to arrive before firefighters can enter a building to effect a rescue.
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Firefighters are less busy at night than during the day, but the calls are more serious at night.
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People are at more risk at night as they are asleep and unaware of any growing danger.
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10 out of 14 deaths in house fires in Surrey between 2006 and 2009 were between 7.00pm and 7.00am, the period when a reduced number of fire engines is proposed.
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With fewer fire engines, on average the ones that are available will take longer to arrive.
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The public should be specifically asked whether they agree to fewer fire engines being available at night, in order for the fire service to do more prevention work during the day.
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Most fires occur in the urban areas where 84% of Surrey's population live and the fire stations currently have two fire engines. Removing one fire engine from these stations means 84% of the population will get 50% less fire cover at night and have to wait much longer for a second fire engine to arrive to effect rescues.
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Government guidance says the PSP can only change the service to reduce risk to the public.
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Surrey already has the third lowest number of firefighters per head of the population and any further reduction will leave it the worst funded and staffed fire service in the country.
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